Detroit City FC played Grand Rapids FC to a 0-0 draw on Friday night under the lights at Keyworth Stadium in front of 5,024 supporters.
Even though it was scoreless, the match was highly entertaining.
The marque moment came in the 66th minute. Tommy Catalano (Oakland) was hauled down in the box, earning City a penalty kick. Cyrus Saydee’s (Michigan State) attempt did not fool the goalkeeper Noah Fazekas, who saved the shot to his left.
It took about fifteen minutes for the two teams to feel each other out. With stakes so high, both were careful with the ball and cautious so as to limit mistakes.
City opened it up and had a majority of the chances for the next twenty minutes. Grand Rapids then threatened repeatedly as the half came to a close.
In the second half, head coach Ben Pirmann started making strategic substitutions in an attempt to score the all-important first goal. Grand Rapids, however, being three points up in the standings, seemed content with a draw.
The chances were plentiful for City, but no one could find the finishing touch. The Boys in Rouge hit the post three times.
“We were a little bit unlucky,” Pirmann said. “Give credit to Grand Rapids. We still have a quarter of the season left. It’s not like it’s over.”
Sunday, Le Rouge hit the road to play first-place AFC Ann Arbor. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
City starting XI: 30 Steinwascher, 2 Isaevski (7 Pliakos 67’), 4 Harris, 96 Sinclair, 23 Schewee, 18 Edwardson, 11 Watson, 25 Deakin, 10 Saydee, 8 Adkins (35 Lasinski 75’), 33 Bautista (26 Catalano 33’)
Grand Rapids starting XI: 1 Fazekas, 3 Brown, 4 Deakin, 5 Vanderlann, 2 Konbloa (21 J. Timmer 68’), 6 Fischer (13 Mateo 84’), 7 M. Barone (20 H. Barone 85’), 8 Esquivel (31 Vegtor 68’), 12 G. Timmer, 23 Abdoo (14 Sullivan 56’), 11 Doney
Cards: Watson 37’, T. Deakin 48’, Schewee 70’, Fischer 71’, H. Barone 86’, Lasinski 88’
– Mitch Gatzke / DCFC Staff Writer
